


Don't Think

by sunalso



Category: Doctor Strange (2016)
Genre: Comfort, My beta is going to kill me, Other, Sorry Not Sorry, not really any spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 08:39:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8482786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunalso/pseuds/sunalso
Summary: Sometimes we all need a little comfort from a friend.





	

Don’t think.

Don’t think.

Don’t-

Who was he trying to kid? Sometimes meditation was a lost cause. The sounds of car horns and the smell of wet pavement drifted through his open window. Ah, the joys of New York at night.

Strange stood up and stretched. His cramped quarters were designed to promote the expansion of the mind, not the comforts of the body. He sat down at his desk and stared at the blank screen of his tablet.

For the millionth time, he thought about making a date with Christine. But…he was at loose ends as to what they’d talk about. He could frighten her out of her wits with tales of battles against interdimensional terrors. That’d be fun. Or he could explain how the mirror dimension worked and enjoy the patient expression she’d wear. The one she saved for patients that were obviously talking fantastic nonsense. What a joy that would be.

Of course, they could always discuss what she was up to. Her cases. And then he could marvel at her barely contained anger at any advice or suggestions he might make. Though she had a point. Backseat doctoring was never welcome. He was probably out-of-date on the latest research anyway. Not a lot of time around the other things he had to read, study, and fight. Where there any neuro-trauma journals published in cuneiform? 

Stephen sighed and stood back up. He began pacing the length of the spartan room. It was difficult to relax when you couldn’t be certain that the world around you would stay a fixed point from moment to moment. It was hard to know what to trust, let alone who.

Attempting to relax, and prevent another sleepless night, he started running through old mnemonics from med school. Lists of nerves, muscles, and bones. Real, concrete things instead of the shifting fantastical that’d become his bread and butter.

It didn’t help.

At last he gave up and sat on the edge of his narrow bed. Rubbing a hand over his face, he sighed. He had a purpose, a destiny. It may not be the one he’d expected, and it might not win him a lot of income or recognition, but it was still essentially the same one he’d always had: save lives.

Just, sometimes, it felt…lonely.

There was a rustle from by the door.

That damn cloak.

He’d been so excited when he’d found out about relics. He hadn’t realized he was going to get one with quite so much personality.

There was a louder rustle.

“Would you be quiet!” he snapped.

There was a sound almost like a whimper and the cloak pushed itself further into the corner.

Terrific. Now not only was he talking to a piece of fabric, he felt terrible about how he’d treated it. The thing always had his back and had saved him more times than he could count. It didn’t deserve his temper.

“Look, I’m sorry. It’s just not a good night.”

Slowly the cloak relaxed, then it floated off its hook and gradually made its way towards him. About a foot away it stopped and hovered.

Strange stared at it while the clock ticked away seconds. Finally, he nodded. His life really couldn’t get any weirder at this point.

The cloak slid around his shoulders. A corner patted his hand in a reassuring manner and the tip of the collar brushed his cheek. It tightened itself around him, and to his horror, he realized he felt both safe and a lot less alone.

There was also the comforting certainty that the cloak wasn’t about to leave him to go running of after a guy with more money or a bigger yacht.

One by one, his muscles relaxed and tension flowed out of his body. He laid down on his side and the cloak adjusted itself to keep him protected from the chill of the night air.

“Thank you,” Strange whispered, brushing the fingers of one hand over the soft fabric.

The cloak squeezed him gently and adjusted itself one more time before its heavy folds settled down.

This time his mind went blank almost instantly and sleep found him soon after.


End file.
